The Hawaiian gazette., 1887-12-06

spending degree. 1t Is easy to see thai
this must be so. Since the law went
into effect ten months ago, 10000 tins
of opium have been imported and have
gone into use by payment of duty and
/. withdrawal. No doubt considerable
portion of this has been sold by the tin
at $40. But when sold by the shell, OF
for snnl=o or two, Mt > cents, the
measurement is about 80 portions to a
tin, or $3.50. Thus over 100000 is or
will be required to pay for this opium,
and it is perfectly safe to say that to
purchase the opium used illicitly be-
fore the law, in the like time, would
not have taken over 100000 Thus
we find over 100000 has been
diverted from the lawful trade
of the country. The small re-
tail dealers complain that the bulk of
their trade which consisted in purch-
asses ranging from 10 cents to So has
fallen away to such an extent as to
ruin many of them. When asked
where the trade has gone, they reply
that the liquor and opium business
has taken it, and with the Chinese the
latter is the great cause. Still an
other fact has been developed which is
that since February, 1887, the rents
| for small stores and shops has fallen
off in the Chinese quarter of Honolulu
| particularly. One instance alone will
| illustrate this. A good store on Hotel
| street near Maunakea which was &C.
cupied continuously at the rent of
SSl so per month till about March,
1887, has been more or less unoccupied
since then, with the rent gradually
| decreasing, having been offered at S25,
then $40, SIS and now at SIS per
month, and at the latter figure it is
only leased from month to month,
tenants refusing to bind themselves for
any longer time. The tenants COM
plain that business does not warrant
the paying of rents nj old figures and
that while the population is the same
or glowing, the former number of re-
tail shops cannot exist. With falling
rents, the value of real property also
falls off, resulting in decreased taxes.
In Honolulu, this year, the tax APP
peal board reduced taxes very materi-
ally below the figures of last year.
Most of these reductions were to Chi
nese and no inconsiderable proportion
OF the reductions was upon property
now producing much lower income
than formerly. This branch of the
inquiry becomes uncertain OH account
of ineXact data, but it must be per-
fectly evident to all that anything
whereby a large amount of money is
diverted from the channels of legiti-
mate trade must result in lowering
values, with a consequent falling off
in taxes and reduced revenue there
from to the Government perhaps
wholly offsettng the apparent gain
from the opium license fee, stamp
duties, etc.
Mr.. Chun Lung came before the
committee and gave valuable informa-
ton. He stated that, up to the present
time, he has paid to the Government:
License fee. ............ -. $50 900 90
Stamps and duty ................ 1878 81
Total ....................... $7697S 81
He has imported 10000 tins of
opium, at Il cost of 81 80, less duty and
stamp. The first cost of his outfit is
something under $4,000, making an
outlay of about S221, 500. The sales
are about 5000 tins month, and hay
ing reached that figure, remain nearly
stationary. He claims that he tries
TO fulfil the law, and that were the |
policy of the Government that of pro-
hibition, he would Loyalty endeav0r to |
further that policy. He thinks that |
less opium is Struggled now than for
merly. He pays a special inspector to |
watch for illicit opium, and has pro-
cured several convictions.
1t must be admitted that Mr.. Chun |
Lung has some rights, and his rights
should be protected and justice done
him as well as to any other person. If
the present law should be repealed and |
he give up his license for that reason, it |
would be but common justice that for
all opium imported under the law
which he should return to the Custom
House to be exported, the Government
ought to refund the stamp and duty,
lthIs amounts to about SLIGO per TIM
ana lie mas "a ga at the present time not